8 Great Tips To Call Customer Service Get The Results You Want

8 Great Tips To Call Customer Service Get The Results You Want We all like it when a company goes that extra mile for their customers. The only problem is businesses don’t all offer the kind of call handling service we expect. Most of us end up being frustrated and angry when we’re given the run-around and can’t get answers to our questions. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. You can get exactly what you want from customer service agents if you just follow these 8 great tips. Avoid the automated phone system You’ll be surprised how many companies have introduced automated call handling services. but if you’re calling a company’s customer service line and want your query to be dealt with successfully, Rule Number 1 is to speak to an actual person, not a robot. If you’re having problems, google the company and find out who you can speak to, even if it’s an online ‘chat’ situation with one of the company’s call handling agents. Treat the customer service agent like a friend Customer service agents spend most of their day talking to frustrated and angry customers, so it’s a good idea to start off your conversation in a friendly manner. Ask them how they’re doing, and whether they’re having a good day. ‘Sorry I didn’t catch your name.’ ‘Whereabouts are you?’ ‘It’s sunny here, what’s your weather like?’ You get the idea. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the mood lightens. If you’re friendly and get a positive conversation going, odds are you’ll get all the answers you’re looking for and won’t be treated like a faceless stranger. Ask for their opinion Most call handling agents know a lot more about their company’s services and options than you do, which means they can make helpful suggestions. But they won’t necessarily come forward with advice unless you say something like ‘What would you do in my position?’ or ‘What would you suggest?’ If you can get them thinking about your problem from your perspective, they’ll most likely come up with the perfect solution to your problem, or at least know who could best help you and transfer you to them. Be prepared Have all the information to your problem at hand before contacting customer services. This includes things like your reference number, the date you ordered, when the product arrived, when it was a returned, who else you may have spoken to and when. This information will help to speed up the call. You might also take a moment to check the company’s policies, because even though a call handling agent may know more than you, they probably won’t know everything. Plan the time of your call According to recent studies, the  best time to speak to a call handling agent is between 9am and 11am. This is the time when issues are dealt with more quickly than at any other time during the day. Why? Pretty obvious when you think about it â€" you’re dealing with agents who are just making a start to their working day and haven’t yet had to endure 8 hours’ worth of upset or irate customers. Don’t be afraid to speak to a manager. If you’re not getting the answers you’re looking for, or are being passed from pillar to post and getting nowhere, go further up the chain of command. Ask â€" politely! â€" to speak to the call handling agent’s supervisor so that you can deal with someone who has more clout in the company and hopefully can resolve your issue If you’re still not getting a satisfactory outcome, google the name of the CEO of the company and write a letter, addressed directly to him or her, explaining your problem and the frustrations you’ve experienced. You can use social media â€" a few (polite!) tweets explaining your problem in the public domain can work wonders for getting a swift and cooperative response. A gentle threat can work miracles If you’re about to slit your wrists with a sharp steak knife because you feel you’ve exhausted all your options, stay calm and tell the call handling agent that you’re thinking of taking your business elsewhere. You’ll notice immediately how the agent suddenly switches into ‘don’t lose a customer’ mode, motivated to quickly transfer you to a department that is likely to offer you all sorts of options in an effort to resolve your problem. Bingo! Acknowledge good service   If you’ve had a really good customer service experience, then it’s only right to let the agent how much you’ve appreciated what they’ve done for you and thank them. Provide feedback on social media or write a positive review. If the company asks you to complete a service survey, do it. You could even take the time to write a short thank you email to the company, quoting the call reference number so they know who helped you. Written by Lloyd Wells, a former call centre operator turned freelance writer and graphic designer â€" partnering with Ansacom for the great tips in this article. Image credits: Main.   Call center.   Nine.  

Dos and Donts of Resume Writing

Dos and Don'ts of Resume WritingThe dos and don't of resume writing vary by job, position, and industry. In the course of career advancement, you'll want to make sure that your resume has the most impact on your potential employer.In order to make a good impression on a potential employer, you need to write a resume that's attention-grabbing and detailed. A well-written resume can take an employer from 'oh yeah, I remember you,' to 'how can I possibly do this anymore without your services?' Your prospective employer should see the level of detail that you've put into your resume, and your resume should be concise and to the point.Another thing to be aware of is that your resume should be well-structured in short paragraphs. You need to keep it as short as possible, with no extra spaces or unnecessary words. Keep it as simple as possible, but don't miss out on key points that could stand out.It's important to remember that neophyte job seekers need to focus on what's most important, n ot the details. When looking for the dos and don'ts of resume writing, neophyte job seekers are going to find that they're going to have to put a lot of time and effort into making their resume impress a prospective employer. If you're a neophyte, try to avoid writing a resume that's too long, because the recruiter will get irritated and possibly skip over it.Remember that the dos and don'ts of resume writing are not just written to help job seekers, but also to help employers. If you were to apply for a job that you know you would not be able to do without the recruiter might see that you're just trying to get ahead of yourself, and might lose interest. If you're at all worried about the dos and don't ofresume writing, simply find the one that you like and follow it.Resume examples are a great way to get an idea of what types of resumes you should write. Use the examples to help you to see how certain dos and don'ts of resume writing would look. You should be encouraged to learn ab out the different styles of resume examples and apply them to your resume. You should apply the examples in order and start from the beginning.Make sure to consider the dos and don'ts of resume writing when it comes to highlighting skills, qualifications, and experiences. The placement section is a very important part of a resume, so make sure to read that section carefully. Make sure that you highlight all of the skills that you have, and go into detail about the experience that you have to offer.The dos and don't of resume writing are there to make sure that your resume makes an impact on your potential employer. Keep it as brief as possible, and make sure that you highlight all of the relevant information that you have to offer. Being creative with your resume will help to ensure that you'll be remembered by the employer for the best reason.

What is Resume Writing and How Do You Do It?

What is Resume Writing and How Do You Do It?What is resume writing and how is it different from what you are accustomed to, as a job seeker? Nowadays, most people realize that the vast majority of them are only wasting their time and effort by sending out resumes to companies that they have no plans to go to. We all know how difficult it is to even get an interview these days.The reason for this is because most employers look at a resume as one-page documents, and what is resume writing. But what is resume writing and why do you need to have it? You can expect these answers to be answered with a smile on your face.So what is resume writing? It is what you do when you start drafting your resume. When you have not been given an interview, the easiest thing to do is to take your time and focus on finding one or two companies to go to and speak with the hiring manager.But resume writing and even having your resume read is very different from a direct contact with a company. It is the par t of the resume that you put in that makes it unique. You will want to highlight any accomplishments you have had that is relevant to the job that you are applying for. Remember, resume writing is an opportunity to show a prospective employer what you are capable of doing.Having a resume that highlights your strengths and weaknesses is just like having a good conversation. It is what helps to make your resume and the message that it sends across to the employer. If you spend the time and make the effort to come up with a good resume, this will help you be successful.But you cannot expect your employer to like you if you are not very good at the job that you are applying for. After all, they are the ones hiring you. So how does the resume writing and the job searching process work together? If you did the job well and did it with grace, you may find yourself in the same position.It is best to keep your resume in the 'do not send' pile until it is sent out for consideration. Do not se nd it out unless it is first read. The more you think about your resume, the better off you will be. This is how the hiring process works.Employers want someone who they believe will be a good fit for the job. What is resume writing is showing what the hiring manager expects out of you, and what you can offer them. This can be accomplished by knowing what the company requires of you and putting this in your resume.

Open Space political party - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Open Space political party - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog On the open space mailing list, Harrison Owen wrote about some of the initiatives taken by the Dean campaign, and that got me writing. You see, Ive been toying for a while with the idea of the open space political party. The idea alone sounds kinda interesting, huh? The way I see it, the organization of the party would be as grass-roots, bottom-up and ad-hoc as possible. And this would apply not only to the campaign phase but also for all relevant governing and policy-setting issues, once were in power :o) This party would not have a catalogue of fixed opinions set by the top brass, saying were for this, against that and for the other. Instead the party would have regularly scheduled open space meetings, and whenever the need arose to form an opinion on a topic (and this happens faster than any traditional political structure can handle these days), the party would put that topic on the agenda to clarify the members thinking on that issue. These gatherings should probably be geographically local, so its easy for people to participate, and should include a method of consolidating the regional dialogues (any good ideas how to do this?). Based on this, the party can in a reasonably short time examine any issue that may crop up. This would mean that any issue would be examined in all its complexity. That all arguments for and against would be talked about by a large group of spirited people before a concensus is found. This is in sharp contrast to todays political process, where a partys opinions are set by the top leaders, often informed more by polls than by dialogue. This would also mean, that membership of such a party would not be based on how many of the partys opinions you agree with, since many of these may not be formulated yet. Instead, when you join as a member, you sign up for two things: 1: A set of values that unifies the members of this party 2: The process. Grass-roots, bottom-up and ad-hoc And finally, a party such as this would be a hotbed of creativity, energy, disagreement, chaos, responsibility and fun. Just imagine how many novel and interesting solutions a group of people working to improve their nation could come up with in such a setting. Ive looked at the political structure here in Denmark, and Im convinced that this development probably will never come from any of the established parties (and we have enough to choose from in Denmark som 12-14 at the last count). The only way to bring this about is to create a new party. I have a deep conviction that it could work, and that this could be one way for us to take back some of the responsibility that weve left to the current political system. How does that sound? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Career Management How to Define Your Career Aspirations - Hallie Crawford

Career Management How to Define Your Career Aspirations Are you at the career level that you would like to be? If not, do you know how to get there? Many business professionals know where they want to go, but all too often struggle with how to implement a solid plan to reach their career goals. Career management is essential. It is important to treat your career with care as you would any asset. The dictionary defines an asset as an item of property owned by a person or company, regarded as having value and available to meet debts, commitments, or legacies. Surely you view your home and your investments as having value and take steps to ensure that they are kept in good shape. You should do the same with your career:it needs to be nurtured constantly. When you take care of your career, it will allow you to make better long-term career choices. To nurture your career, you need the following elements: Fulfillment Feel challenged (in a positive way) Stay marketable There are several ways you can do this. You can beef up your skill set, continuously educate yourself about your position and industry, and be open to new ways of doing things. Career management involves having a strategic career plan. A strategic career plan can be defined as a map to plan where you want to be in the future. It will also help you determine what steps you need to get there. How can you determine and define your strategic career plan? There are three important factors: Define your career aspirations Build your personal brand Develop a plan This article, the first of a series, will focus on the first factor. Define your career aspirations. The first step is to envision where you want to be in the professional world in one year, in three years, and in five years. Start by thinking big picture and imagine where you want to be in five years, and then work backwards. Grab a notebook and journal down your thoughts. At this stage, the idea is to get your mind envisioning the future. It’s OK if you have different ideas about your professional future. Write them all down and then you can determine which ones will give you the three elements we talked about above that are necessary to nurture your career. Don’t worry about being too structured at this point. We will formalize your strategic plan later on. If you try to formalize your plan too soon in the process, it can stifle your creativity. Here are a few questions to help you journal about this exercise: Who are you? This can include a self-assessment and also asking others for input. For example, think about your values, passion, and interests. What is your personality type? What experience and education do you have? Where are you going? What are your long-term career goals? Define what kind of lifestyle you want and how much it will cost. Visualize what your ideal work day would entail, including ideal coworkers and boss. How will you get there? What strengths and talents do you have to get you to the next level in your career? Do you need any extra education or experience? A great way to find out is by conducting informational interviews with those who are in the long-term position that you want. Determine how you will expand your network. Other questions could be: What critical roles do you need over the next 1-5 years and are they available at your current organization? Is the current organization the right fit for your career goals? Who can provide you with support and accountability? Are there any blocks to your success? When journaling about these factors and dreaming about the future, be honest with yourself. Don’t try to fit yourself into something that isn’t going to work for you. Too many business professionals try to make a career path work that isn’t right for them. This is one reason why so many business professionals are discontent at their positions. According to Gallup studies, only 32% of employees feel engaged, or enthusiastic, about their jobs. If you are in the other 68% that don’t feel engaged at work, don’t despair. Schedule time this week to journal about the things we have discussed in this article, and then be ready for the next article in this series. If you need help defining your strategic career plan, contact us for a free 20-minute consultation today!

Advantages of Hiring a Resume Writing Service

Advantages of Hiring a Resume Writing ServiceA resume writing service is like a person with unique talent that he can put to use to his advantage. They can also help a company in finding what it is looking for. So if you are in the hunt for a job then hiring a resume writing service will surely be the best way to go. Why hire someone else to do the work for you?How can a person help you? It is simple, a resume writing service is a qualified professional who knows what they are doing and how to present a job application to employers. Therefore if you hire a service then you will save time and money and you can concentrate on your own task of getting a job.A professional resume writing service can save you time, money and effort. They can highlight your skill, talents and experience to show your capability. They can also give you an outline of what you have to do to become a great employee for your company. That way you can focus on your job and this will result in an overall positive feedback from the employer.Time is money when you are just starting out in your career. If you think that getting your resume done by another person will take time and you have to spend money to get it done right then you are wrong. Using a service you don't have to waste your precious time, money and effort on a mediocre job application.Resume writing service Wilmington NC can also help you in getting your resume translated into any language you desire. Many companies want to attract employees who can speak their language of choice and will help you in making it easy for them to read and understand your application. This way you will be able to make yourself stand out from the crowd.A resume writing service will give you not only professional help but also offer you affordable rates and they are available 24 hours a day. They will work with you to create a professional-looking resume for you. So you will know that the material is of high quality. As a company will be using it as a marketing tool of their company.Since so many people need a job these days, you are most likely going to find a job that requires a resume in your mailbox. Just make sure that you work with a skilled resume writing service that will deliver a high quality resume. Get yourself a resume writing service that can handle all your needs.

Do I Have to Pay for Gifts for Resigning Coworkers

Do I Have to Pay for Gifts for Resigning Coworkers Q: How can I push back against increasingly obnoxious requests to help pay for gifts for coworkers who are resigning? Recently, two of my colleagues both gave notice. After the news was announced, our boss threw a small party during lunch hours that we all attended. Our organization ordered food and a cake, and we all said nice things about our colleagues and signed photo books for them. They were also presented with gifts. Read More: How to handle a coworker soliciting for charity at work It has now been a week since the party, and my colleagues and I have received three separate emails from our boss’s secretary â€" each one firmer than the next, asking us to contribute towards the cost of these gifts: Email 1: “Dear Staff â€" We have bought our colleagues two beautiful goodbye gifts. If you would like to contribute toward their gifts, please bring me whatever amount you would like to donate. Thank you.” Email 2: “Dear Staff â€" It is completely voluntary, but if you are able to contribute toward the gifts for Jane and Fergus, it would be most appreciated. If you are going to participate, please bring your contribution to me. The amount is up to you. Thank you.” Email 3: “Dear Staff â€" I haven’t heard from you regarding the gifts we bought for Jane and Fergus. Boss is paying out of her own pocket whatever isn’t contributed by the staff. We don’t want the entire burden to be on Boss. Please try to contribute something â€" anything will be helpful.” The first email was sent to the whole staff â€" but the second and third emails were sent to just a handful of us â€" the ones who did not contribute â€" and not via bcc. Like a public shaming! How do I handle this and what do I say? I firmly believe it is not my place to have to pay for a gift on behalf of my company. I didn’t choose the gifts, they are not what I would have chosen if I did (I actually took my colleagues out to lunch separately to say goodbye), and I find the whole thing really upsetting. Read More: Am I really supposed to contribute to a “Boss’s Day” gift? A: Oh, this is obnoxious on so many levels â€" the ones you named, but also the claim at first that it’s “completely voluntary,” followed by making it quite clear in the next email that the meaning of “completely voluntary” is not the one that any reasonable person is familiar with. You have a few options here: * You can continue to ignore her. After all, she told you this was completely voluntary, so let’s take her at her word. If she approaches you directly and individually, you can say, “This is voluntary like you said in your email, right?” * You can email her back right now and say, “I’m not able to contribute and wanted to let you know so that you can cross me off the list.” * You can explain to her why this is so problematic: “You earlier said this was voluntary, but these emails are becoming increasingly high-pressure. I’m concerned that we’re being pressured to help pay for this after the fact, without any input into the gifts or their cost or whether we wanted to spend our money this way. I think it’s lovely if the organization wants to recognize departing employees, but none of us signed on to pay for those items and may not have room in our budgets for this.” * You can send the above email and also include your boss on it. It’s possible she doesn’t know that this high-pressure collection is being done in her name. * You can enlist other coworkers in speaking up as a group, which is often particularly effective because it makes it hard to ignore that people â€" plural â€" are irked about this. (And hey, you know exactly who to approach, thanks to your coworker’s third email singling out the non-payers.) And really, once and for all: People, get your hands out of your coworkers’ wallets! Their money does not belong to you. Q: Should I invite my boss to dinner at my house? I’ve been thinking it might be nice to invite my boss and his wife to my home to have dinner â€" but I keep having second thoughts about it. My boss is a vice president and I’m one of six directors under him. He’s met my husband and I’ve met his wife at company holiday parties. The boss and I occasionally chat about non-work-related things like travel or sports, but have not socialized outside of the office at non-business events. Is dinner a bad idea? Or am I overthinking this? Read More: How can I get out of having lunch with coworkers? A: Well, some people do this kind of thing and all parties involved seem to enjoy it. So it’s definitely a thing that happens. But I still wouldn’t. Your boss might feel obligated to attend, or awkward whether he does or doesn’t. And it’s blurring the boundaries in a bit in a way that isn’t great â€" ultimately, this is a work relationship, not a social one. Your boss needs to be able to, for example, give you tough feedback and it’s going to feel a lot weirder to do that if he was a guest in your home a week ago. So I say no, and just continue to appreciate the relationship for what it currently is, which sounds pretty nice as it is. These questions are adapted from ones that originally appeared on Ask a Manager. Some have been edited for length.